The Garden of Memory
by gingermemequeen
Summary: While the rest of Squad 13 is busy battling in space, Mitsuru and Kokoro are tasked with returning to Mistilteinn, though their return does more than strike a sense of nostalgia. [Alternative Memory Scene]


"Since you two have decided to remain on Earth while the others are in space, you'll be a part of our mission to start new crops in Mistilteinn," Hachi explained to both Mitsuru and Kokoro as the rockets of their companions echoed through the air.

"Are you sure? I don't think she should be doing any hard physical labor with her condition," Mitsuru argued.

Kokoro interlaced her fingers together, staring down at her flat abdomen. It was hard to believe that there was a tiny human being growing inside her. She averted her gaze as they spoke, unsure why Mitsuru had decided to stay with her. Even if they were partners, she certainly didn't feel he owed her anything, not when their past memories were dark enigmas.

"I understand that. We'll only be observing the area for the time being to be sure that the soil is healthy enough to begin planting," Hachi continued.

"Thank you," Mitsuru said.

The wind was beginning to pick up, blowing Kokoro's long, wavy hair. As gray clouds began to drift across the sky, Mitsuru turned toward Kokoro.

"We should get inside. It's getting cold."

She nodded and followed Mitsuru indoors. Glancing back at the window, she noticed the tiniest raindrops were beginning to splash against the glass. Her stomach was beginning to ache again, and she was starting to feel fatigued.

"Are you okay? You're looking pale," Mitsuru noticed.

"I think I have to use the restroom," she mumbled.

She had barely reached the toilet when she began to expel the little contents in her stomach. She coughed and gagged until a quiet knock came at the door.

"K-Kokoro-san?" She detected a bit of pain in Mitsuru's voice.

She groaned, too sick and shaky to answer. The door slid open, and he knelt down beside her.

"Your limbs are shaking," he realized.

"It's coming again," she muttered as another wave of nausea overtook her. She felt his hands pull her hair back as she finished vomiting. Her breath was staggered and uneven as she sat back, her stomach finally feeling normal again.

Mitsuru kept his arms on her shoulders, gently rubbing them.

"Are you okay? Is it done?" he asked.

"I think so," she whispered, still shaking. "Y-You can go. You don't have to stay."

"You don't look well. I'll stay right here."

"You didn't have to stay with me," she continued. "Even if you feel some sense of responsibility…"

"It's not your decision. It's mine," he argued.

She let out a cry, causing Mitsuru to pull away suddenly.

"I'm frustrated, dammit, and you're not helping!" she cried, slamming her fist against the tile floor of the bathroom. "I wish I could remember something! Now there's a baby growing inside me that I don't remember wanting and a stranger who I maybe once knew comforting me."

"Kokoro-san," Mitsuru muttered.

"Doesn't it hurt your head when you say my name? Why do you persist?! I always have the worse headaches when I accidentally say yours," she murmurs, tears continuing to stream down her cheeks.

"I wish I could remember too. It's not easy for me," Mitsuru said quietly, sitting and leaning back against the wall.

"At least you didn't wake up from a strange dream pregnant," Kokoro muttered.

"Do you want the baby?" Mitsuru asked. "I'm going to support you no matter what."

"I don't know what I want to do…" the blonde sighed, shoving her face in her hands. Her frustration and sorrow were the only two emotions she was accustomed to at this point. She'd barely had time to comprehend her condition or develop any affection for the child growing inside her.

She shuddered as she felt Mitsuru wrap his arms underneath her. It was the closest they'd ever been, and it caused tingling throughout her entire body. His touch felt familiar, and she was slightly calmed by it.

"You can decide after we visit Mistilteinn," he decided. "Maybe that will help."

Kokoro slowly nodded her head. "Okay."

...

Mitsuru twisted the ring in his pocket as he waited near the hovercraft for Kokoro to arrive. He knew that she wasn't upset with him, but he wished she'd be more gentle around him. Though then again, did he ever remember a time when she was kind and gentle? It hurt his head to think about it.

Though Mitsuru continued to tell himself that it was his responsibility to remain with her, he felt a different emotion lurking inside him that he couldn't quite name. He felt a strong desire to protect her, ever since she had begun getting ill. And now that he knew she was pregnant, he wanted to be there for her more than ever.

He finally noticed her walking toward the hovercraft in the distance. Her face looked grim, and judging by her pale face, he realized she must've gotten sick again.

"Are you okay to go?" he asked as they stepped inside.

"I'm feeling better."

"Drink some water at least," he said, handing her a bottle he had packed for himself.

She seemed reluctant to listen to him, but she agreed, slowly drinking as they ascended. Mitsuru continued twisting the silver ring in his pocket, wondering what it had once signified. Did it have something to do for how he felt for Kokoro?

The flight wasn't long, but the silence that settled between him and Kokoro made it feel much longer than it should've been. He wanted to reach out and comfort her somehow, but he wasn't sure how, especially when she'd even called him a stranger only a few days prior.

 _I'm your partner_ , he thought. _I want to protect you._

When they finally descended, Mitsuru shielded his eyes as they stepped out into the sunlight. His former home looked familiar, though his recent memories of the place were shattered.

Without thinking, he grasped Kokoro's hand, and he was shocked when she didn't pull away.

"Let's go look inside," he suggested.

"But shouldn't we be looking at the soil?" she asked quietly.

"Hachi won't be upset if we take a peak. We did used to live here after all," he said.

She nodded and followed after him. Paintings covered the building, and his head began to throb as he tried to recall whether he had been one to contribute to it.

They walked across the lawn, though Kokoro suddenly came to a halt and stiffened, pointing to a mess of knocked over chairs and broken hand-bells.

"Is that…" Her voice trailed off.

Mitsuru turned and glanced. He let out a hiss and sunk to the ground, his head throbbing.

"Mitsuru-kun!" Kokoro gasped. He could hear the pain in her voice as well. Nevertheless, she kept a hand on his shoulder and helped him back up.

"Let's go inside," he decided, the throbbing finally starting to cease.

The inside was dusty and somewhat wrecked as well, but it was as Mitsuru remembered. He and Kokoro wandered down the halls, peering in each room. At one point, he stumbled upon what he believed was his old room. He thought maybe it would trigger a memory, but he felt nothing there.

"Let's go downstairs," Kokoro suggested.

"Downstairs?" the brown-haired boy questioned. "I don't remember there being anything down there."

"It doesn't hurt to explore," Kokoro guessed, heading downstairs. Mitsuru reluctantly followed, walking down a darkened and deserted hallway.

Kokoro walked with ease, casually glancing left and right at the windows and sealed off doors. Her eyes fell on one door that was not blocked off, and she slowly opened the door.

"Should we be going in here?" Mitsuru wondered.

His head began to pound as he stepped inside. There was a neatly made bed and a dead vase of flowers situated on the nightstand.

"I feel like I've been here before," Kokoro murmured, her hand tracing over the bedsheet.

The room felt somewhat familiar to Mitsuru too, though he didn't know why. All he knew was that the pain in his head was growing worse, and he desperately wanted to get out of the room.

"These flowers are dead," Kokoro complained.

"Maybe there are some fresh ones at the greenhouse," Mitsuru suggested.

"Okay, let's check," she decided.

...

Kokoro slowly entered the greenhouse, feeling peace and serenity begin to drift over her as she stepped inside. The greenhouse didn't seem as damaged as other parts of Mistilteinn, though she was saddened to see that some of the plants had already died.

She retrieved a nearby watering can, absentmindedly beginning to pour water over the few remaining plants.

"What are you doing?" Mitsuru asked.

"I don't know. I was told I used to tend to the greenhouse, but I don't remember. Something just came over me right then," she realized, setting the watering can back down.

She felt Mitsuru grasp her shoulder, then suddenly, he hissed in pain. His grip became tighter, and she spun around, watching him kneel.

"Mitsuru-kun?" she wondered. A throbbing in her head began, but instead of fading like it normally did, it continued to grow. The light shining through the greenhouse was making her vision blurry, and she grew shaky.

"Wh-what's going on?" Mitsuru breathed, his hand held to his forehead.

She was too much in pain to talk, but she reached forward, grabbing his forehead, and she pressed it against hers. Her vision went white as the pain exploded.

 _The floating cherry blossoms_

 _A sewn doll_

 _Silver scissors_

 _Stolen kisses_

 _A hidden book_

 _Multi-colored flowers_

 _Skin pressing against skin_

 _A passionate night_

 _Gentle arms_

 _White fabric_

 _Glowing rings_

 _The sound of bells_

 _Hands ripping apart…_

Kokoro let out a gasp as she broke away, nearly collapsing into Mitsuru. He wrapped his arms around her and caught her. As she buried her head in his chest, slowly regaining her vision, she heard him panting heavily above her.

"D…Did you see that too?" he spoke quietly.

Memories flooded back into Kokoro's mind faster than she could respond. _Am I dying?_ she thought as her life nearly flashed before her eyes.

 _Mitsuru, Mitsuru, Mitsuru_. That was all who flashed through her mind as the memories of the past months flashed through her mind. She let out a gasp and suddenly began to sob.

"Kokoro-san?" he asked quietly, rubbing his hands up and down her arms. She didn't notice any sound of pain in his voice.

"M-Mitsuru-kun," she cried, quivering. The pain that had once been exploding through her head was gone.

"Did you…can you remember?" he asked.

She finally had the courage to look up into his eyes, and she nodded. How terrifying it had been to have not remembered what had transpired. Though even now, she shook with her newfound knowledge of the past.

She watched as his green eyes became glassy with tears, and he suddenly pulled her close. They sat like that on the floor for a while, crying and holding each other as the sunlight danced around them.

"I'm sorry. I forgot," she cried, her speech only to be broken by Mitsuru's lips crashing against hers.

She moaned and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him tighter to her.

 _I'm never going to let go,_ she thought.

Mitsuru pulled away for a moment, only to shove his hand down his pocket. When he pulled it back up, a shiny ring was sitting in his palm.

"Y-You kept it?" she realized, reaching down into her pocket to pull out her own ring.

"Even when we couldn't remember, it felt wrong getting rid of it," he said. "Will you put it back on for me?"

She nodded and grabbed his ring, slowly placing it back on his finger where she had put it once before.

He grabbed hers and did the same. She wrapped her hands around the finger and twisted the ring. The finger had always felt naked once she had taken the ring off, but now, it sat perfectly in place.

"We never did get that kiss," Mitsuru murmured, pulling her closer again.

She pressed her lips against his once more and kissed him more gently this time. They kissed slowly, now that they finally had all the time in the world. Even so, the desire was still there all the same.

"You're officially my husband now," she teased, resting her forehead against his.

Mitsuru chuckled slightly and grasped onto her hand. Suddenly, his eyes widened.

"Oh my god, you're pregnant!" he gasped.

Kokoro paused for a moment, seemingly forgetting her condition. She had been so busy recalling her memories that she had forgotten how much power they now held in regards to her pregnancy.

She nodded and did a little laugh-cry before throwing her arms around Mitsuru again.

"I guess it worked," he said, chuckling.

Kokoro nodded and buried her head in his shoulder as he stroked her hair. Her memories were back, her husband was here, and soon they were going to have a little family of their own.

"Do you think it'll be a boy or a girl?" Mitsuru murmured.

"It doesn't matter," she breathed, moving her head away to kiss him again.

"I'm so sorry," Mitsuru said, his voice growing softer. "I can't believe I forgot either, and I wanted nothing to do with you when we returned. But I always felt this pull toward you. I always felt I had to protect you and…the baby," he said, his hand resting gently against her abdomen.

"Don't be. We both couldn't recall anything. I don't blame you for that," she said. She took his hands in hers and stared into his eyes. "It doesn't matter now because we're together again. And no one can stop us this time."

Mitsuru pulled her forward into an embrace again.

"I'm sorry I keep hugging and kissing you," he said, laughing slightly. "I don't want to stop touching you. It feels like I've just woken up from a nightmare. I'm never going to stop loving you, Kokoro-san."

Teardrops streamed down her face again as she gripped him tight.

"I'll never let go," she told him.

"I guess it's good we came back here then," Mitsuru guessed. "And I suppose you've made a decision about the baby, then?"

Kokoro giggled. "I hope you're ready to be a father."

"You're going to make a lovely mother," he said, pulling away and cupping her face with his hand.

She leaned into it as she blushed and shut her eyes. They sat in silence for a few minutes, taking in each other's presence.

"We-we should probably head back," Mitsuru realized.

She nodded and slowly stood up. Her legs were shaky, and she nearly collapsed back to the ground if it weren't for Mitsuru's grabbing ahold of her.

"Thank you," she breathed.

He reached down and took his hand in hers. "Come on. We have a new future now," he said, leading her away from the place that had brought them together once again.


End file.
